Patents by Inventor Takuya Kotajima
Takuya Kotajima has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8678629Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicular headlamp includes: a projection lens arranged to have an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a light-emitting element that is a light source arranged on a rear side with respect to a rear focal point of the projection lens; and a reflector that is formed so that a longitudinal section of the reflector has the shape of an ellipse having a first focal point at a center of light emission of the light-emitting element and a second focal point at the rear focal point of the projection lens, wherein the reflector is arranged to cover the light-emitting element and reflects irradiated light toward the projection lens, the irradiated light being light irradiated from the light-emitting element. A major axis of the ellipse, passing through the first focal point and the second focal point, is inclined with respect to the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2010Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Takuya Kotajima, Hidetada Tanaka
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Patent number: 8487535Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kentaro Tani, Noriko Sato, Motohiro Komatsu, Hidetada Tanaka, Hiroyuki Ishida, Naoki Uchida, Takuya Kotajima
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Patent number: 8226285Abstract: A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof, and an additional lamp unit which forms an additional light distribution pattern including an area above the cutoff line of the low beam distribution pattern. The additional lamp unit is configured such that a luminous intensity of at least a portion of the additional light distribution pattern increases toward a horizontal line from above.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
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Patent number: 8042981Abstract: In a vehicle headlamp, a light source image forming device forms a first light source image and a second light source image. A projection lens projects the first light source image and the second light source image so as to have a common border with each other. The light source image forming device forms the first light source image and the second light source image at positions spaced apart from each other along respective edges forming the common border.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
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Publication number: 20110032722Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicular headlamp includes: a projection lens arranged to have an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a light-emitting element that is a light source arranged on a rear side with respect to a rear focal point of the projection lens; and a reflector that is formed so that a longitudinal section of the reflector has the shape of an ellipse having a first focal point at a center of light emission of the light-emitting element and a second focal point at the rear focal point of the projection lens, wherein the reflector is arranged to cover the light-emitting element and reflects irradiated light toward the projection lens, the irradiated light being light irradiated from the light-emitting element. A major axis of the ellipse, passing through the first focal point and the second focal point, is inclined with respect to the optical axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Takuya Kotajima, Hidetada Tanaka
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Publication number: 20110012510Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kentaro TANI, Noriko SATO, Motohiro KOMATSU, Hidetada TANAKA, Hiroyuki ISHIDA, Naoki UCHIDA, Takuya KOTAJIMA
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Patent number: 7824086Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a plurality of light source units disposed rearwards of a rear focal plane of the projection lens. Each of the light source units includes a light emitting device; and a light guiding member having a front end light output port and adapted to guide light from the light emitting device to the front end light output port so as to allow the light be emitted from the front end light output port. The front end light output ports of the light guiding members of the respective light source units are arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction in a vicinity of the rear focal plane.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Takuya Kotajima
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Publication number: 20090290372Abstract: In a vehicle headlamp, a light source image forming device forms a first light source image and a second light source image. A projection lens projects the first light source image and the second light source image so as to have a common border with each other. The light source image forming device forms the first light source image and the second light source image at positions spaced apart from each other along respective edges forming the common border.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
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Publication number: 20090231873Abstract: A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof, and an additional lamp unit which forms an additional light distribution pattern including an area above the cutoff line of the low beam distribution pattern. The additional lamp unit is configured such that a luminous intensity of at least a portion of the additional light distribution pattern increases toward a horizontal line from above.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2009Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takuya KOTAJIMA, Satoshi YAMAMURA
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Publication number: 20090073712Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a plurality of light source units disposed rearwards of a rear focal plane of the projection lens. Each of the light source units includes a light emitting device; and a light guiding member having a front end light output port and adapted to guide light from the light emitting device to the front end light output port so as to allow the light be emitted from the front end light output port. The front end light output ports of the light guiding members of the respective light source units are arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction in a vicinity of the rear focal plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Takuya Kotajima